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A gift guide from the archive

Gifts for pet lovers

Pet lovers are easy to recognise and surprisingly hard to buy for. They already own the mug, the tote bag and the novelty socks. The gifts that land best tend to be small, well-chosen and used every day. Here is how to find one.

Updated 2026-10-17 · Every case $24.99 · free US shipping · free 30-day returns

Dog person, cat person or everything person?

Start with the obvious question. Dog people usually love a warm, open face. Cat people often prefer something calmer and a little aloof. And some people love every animal they meet, in which case a favourite wild animal can be more personal than another dog or cat.

Skip the jokes, keep the affection

Pun-heavy pet gifts are fun once. A gift that simply shows an animal beautifully lasts longer. Illustrated portraits, soft colours and a single animal on a quiet background tend to suit adults better than cartoon prints.

For the dog lover

The corgi portrait is our warmest dog design — big ears, bright eyes, a teal background. The navy dog portrait is moodier and more graphic. For a dog lover who also loves the outdoors, the fox in an autumn forest feels close kin.

For the cat lover

Our watercolour cat is the obvious pick: a grey-and-white cat with a calm, steady gaze. Cat people also tend to like animals with the same self-possessed air — the snowy owl, the red panda, the fennec fox in stained glass.

For the person who loves every animal

Pick their favourite creature rather than their pet. A sloth, an otter, a puffin or a sea turtle is a playful, affectionate choice, and it shows you know them beyond the obvious.

Why a phone case works

It is the object they carry most, it is visible every day, and it does not need a shelf. It is also low risk: every case is $24.99 with free US shipping, orders ship within 48 business hours, and returns are free for 30 days if the model or the design is not right.

Getting the phone model right

• Look at a recent photo of their phone — the camera layout usually gives the model away.
• Ask someone they live with.
• If you cannot find out, send a digital gift card instead.

For a new pet parent

Someone who has just brought home a puppy or a kitten is living in a happy kind of chaos. Practical help is welcome — a bag of the food they use, an offer to pet-sit for an evening — but so is something that marks the moment. A case with an animal they love is a small celebration they will carry through the sleepless first weeks.

Matching the gift to how they live

• The outdoorsy dog walker: something warm and woodland, like the fox in an autumn forest.
• The calm, homebody cat person: something soft and pale, like the watercolour cat or the floating otter.
• The person who loves nature documentaries: a wild animal they talk about, like a puffin or a snowy owl.
• The art lover: the stained-glass portraits, with bold outlines and jewel colours.

If you are torn, choose the quieter design. Pet lovers rarely tire of a gentle portrait, and it suits more phones, outfits and moods than a loud print.

Making it a gift

Ship it straight to them by entering their address at checkout. We do not add notes to the package, so make a free keepsake card with the design and a short message. For a shortlist in three questions, try the gift finder, or see every idea on the gifts page.

A last thought

The most loved pet gifts are rarely the most expensive. They are the ones that show you have noticed the animal in someone’s life — its name, its habits, the way they light up talking about it. Mention that in your note, and almost any small gift will feel right.

New designs that also suit this guide

Questions

More gift guides

• Pet memorial gifts — Gentle ideas for remembering a dog, a cat or any companion — and how to give them kindly.
• Sympathy gifts for losing a dog or cat — What to send a friend whose dog or cat has died, and what to write with it.
• Keepsake gifts under $25 — Small, meaningful gifts that stay under $25 with shipping included.